Common Symptoms
- ✓Water actively dripping or pouring in during or after a storm
- ✓Visible hole, missing decking, or daylight through the roof
- ✓Tree limb or debris on or through the roof surface
- ✓Large sections of shingles blown off, exposing black underlayment or bare wood
- ✓Ceiling bulging or sagging from trapped water
- ✓Tornado, hail, or straight-line wind damage that just occurred
What Causes This
Roof emergencies in St. Louis cluster around three weather patterns: spring and summer thunderstorm systems that produce hail and 60–80 mph straight-line winds, the tornado events that periodically cross the metro, and winter ice storms that load limbs until they drop onto roofs. Whatever the cause, the emergency itself is the same — the roof envelope is open and every hour of exposure lets more water into the decking, insulation, drywall, and framing below. A breach that would have been a $2,000 repair becomes a $15,000 interior restoration when it sits open through a second storm. That is why emergency response is about speed first: stabilize the roof, stop the water, document everything, then plan the permanent repair without pressure.
When to Call Immediately
Do not climb onto a storm-damaged roof, and do not sign anything with a door-knocking contractor the day of the storm. A wet or compromised roof can fail underfoot, and post-storm canvassers who demand contracts on the spot are the #1 source of St. Louis roofing complaints. Tarp first, document everything, then choose your contractor calmly — your insurance claim window gives you time.
How Revolve Fixes It
- 1Call (314) 400-8006 — we dispatch 24/7 and prioritize active leaks and open roofs for same-day response.
- 2Stabilize the breach with heavy-duty reinforced tarps, mechanically fastened with furring strips so they hold through the next storm — not just weighted down.
- 3Photograph and document all damage before and during tarping, building the evidence file your insurance adjuster will need.
- 4Perform interior triage — move water away from ceilings, identify saturated insulation, and flag any structural concerns for engineering review.
- 5Write a permanent repair scope and, where storm damage is involved, help you file the claim and meet the adjuster on-site.
- 6Complete the permanent repair with our in-house crews as soon as materials and weather allow, and remove the temporary protection.
What Counts as a Roof Emergency — and What Can Wait
A true roof emergency means the envelope is open right now: water actively entering, decking exposed, a tree limb through the surface, or a ceiling sagging under trapped water. These situations get same-day response because the damage compounds hourly — saturated insulation loses its R-value permanently, drywall crumbles, and standing moisture starts feeding mold within 48 hours.
Some post-storm conditions look alarming but can safely wait a day or two: a handful of missing shingles over intact underlayment, dented gutters, or granule loss in the downspouts after hail. Those need prompt inspection and probably an insurance claim, but they are not letting water in tonight. When you call, we triage honestly — if your situation can wait for a scheduled inspection, we will tell you rather than charge emergency rates.
The one mistake we see most often is waiting to see whether the leak comes back with the next rain. It always does, and by then water has traveled further along the framing. If water reached your interior even once, the roof needs eyes on it now — the inspection is free, and the tarp is cheap compared to what a second soaking costs.
How Emergency Tarping Actually Works
Professional tarping is not a blue tarp with bricks on the corners. We use heavy-duty reinforced poly tarps sized to extend past the damaged zone and over the ridge wherever possible, so water sheds over the tarp rather than running under its top edge. The edges are fastened with furring strips screwed through the tarp into sound decking, which lets the tarp survive the 40–60 mph gusts that often follow the initial storm system through Missouri.
A tarp installed to this standard protects the home for weeks — long enough for the insurance adjuster to inspect, for supplements to be negotiated, and for materials to arrive, all without water intrusion continuing underneath. We photograph the damage before the tarp goes on, because covering the evidence without documenting it first is the single most common insurance mistake homeowners make after a storm.
Tarping cost depends on roof height, pitch, and the size of the damaged area — most St. Louis jobs land between $300 and $1,500. When the damage is storm-caused and a claim is filed, emergency mitigation is almost always a covered line item, because your policy requires you to prevent further damage and the carrier pays for reasonable steps taken to do so. Keep the invoice; we format ours for direct submission to the adjuster.
From Emergency to Permanent Repair — Without Getting Burned
Once the roof is stabilized, the pressure is off — and that is exactly when you should make decisions about the permanent repair. Storm-chasing contractors work the opposite way: they want a signature while the ceiling is still dripping. Missouri homeowners have the right to choose their own contractor, to take time comparing scopes, and to involve their insurance carrier before committing to anything beyond emergency mitigation.
Our process separates the two decisions cleanly. The emergency call stabilizes and documents; there is no obligation to hire us for the permanent work. If you do, we write a line-item scope in the same Xactimate format insurance adjusters use, meet the adjuster on your roof, and negotiate supplements for anything the initial scope missed — code-required ice-and-water barrier, decking replacement, ventilation corrections.
Revolve has run this exact playbook across more than 6,000 St. Louis-area projects since 2008, including the major hail and tornado events that hit the metro. Our crews are in-house, our BBB rating is A+, and our workmanship warranty covers the permanent repair. When the next storm tests the roof, you will know exactly who stands behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can you get to my house for an emergency roof repair in St. Louis?+
We answer emergency calls 24/7 at (314) 400-8006 and prioritize active leaks and open roofs for same-day response. In a widespread storm event we triage by severity — homes with water actively entering are dispatched first. Most emergency tarping calls inside our metro service area are stabilized within hours of the call.
How much does emergency roof tarping cost?+
Most St. Louis emergency tarping jobs run $300–$1,500 depending on roof height, pitch, and the size of the damaged area. If the damage is storm-related and you file an insurance claim, tarping is almost always reimbursable as a covered mitigation cost — your policy requires you to prevent further damage, and carriers pay for reasonable steps taken to do so.
Will insurance cover my emergency roof repair?+
If the damage was caused by a covered peril — hail, wind, a fallen tree — then both the emergency mitigation and the permanent repair are typically covered, minus your deductible. Gradual leaks from age or deferred maintenance are not. We document every emergency call with timestamped photos so you have the evidence an adjuster needs either way.
What should I do while I wait for the crew to arrive?+
Stay off the roof. Inside, move belongings out of the drip zone, put containers under active drips, and if a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, poke a small drain hole at the low point to release it in a controlled way rather than letting the drywall collapse. Photograph everything as you go — interior damage is part of the claim too.
A contractor knocked on my door right after the storm. Should I sign with them?+
No — at minimum, not on the spot. Post-storm door-knockers are the leading source of roofing complaints in Missouri. Verify any contractor's local address, license, and insurance certificates, read their Google and BBB reviews, and never sign a contract or assignment-of-benefits form under time pressure. A legitimate company will still be here tomorrow.
Is the tarp a permanent fix?+
No. A professionally installed tarp protects the home for a matter of weeks — long enough for the insurance process and material ordering — but it is temporary mitigation, not a repair. We schedule the permanent repair as soon as the scope is approved and weather allows, then remove the tarp as part of that work.